Dr. Yu-Po Lee sees patients in San Diego, CA and Orange, CA. His medical specialties are spine surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. Patients gave Dr. Lee an average rating of 4.0 stars out of 5. Areas of expertise for Dr. Lee include spine surgery procedures. He is affiliated with UC Irvine Medical Center. He is an in-network provider for several insurance carriers, including Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield. After completing medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), David Geffen School of Medicine, he performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Lee is conversant in Chinese.

Dr. Scott Leary practices spine surgery and neurosurgery in San Diego, CA and La Jolla, CA. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish. Dr. Leary's clinical interests include laminectomy, neurosurgery, and pituitary tumor. He is professionally affiliated with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Sharp HealthCare. Dr. Leary studied medicine at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. For his residency, Dr. Leary trained at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center. His average rating from his patients is 3.5 stars out of 5. Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and HealthSmart are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Leary honors. Dr. Leary has an open panel.

Dr. Ramin Raiszadeh practices spine surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery in San Diego, CA, Poway, CA, and La Jolla, CA. In his practice, he is particularly interested in musculoskeletal surgery. Dr. Raiszadeh is professionally affiliated with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Raiszadeh honors. He has an open panel. Dr. Raiszadeh attended Baylor College of Medicine and then went on to complete his residency at a hospital affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. He is conversant in Persian.

Dr. Peter Newton is a spine surgeon and orthopedist in San Diego, CA. On average, patients gave him a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. He is an in-network provider for Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Sharp Health Plan, in addition to other insurance carriers. Dr. Newton obtained his medical school training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Newton has received the following distinction: San Diego Super Doctors. His hospital/clinic affiliations include Children's Specialists of San Diego and Rady Children's Specialists of San Diego.

Dr. Donald Blaskiewicz is a specialist in spine surgery and neurosurgery. He works in San Diego, CA, La Jolla, CA, and El Cajon, CA. Clinical interests for Dr. Blaskiewicz include laminectomy, neurosurgery, and pituitary tumor. He has received a 2.5 out of 5 star rating by his patients. He is in-network for Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Medi-Cal, in addition to other insurance carriers. He attended Ross University School of Medicine and subsequently trained at a hospital affiliated with SUNY Upstate Medical University for residency. His professional affiliations include Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Mercy Hospital, and Sharp HealthCare. Dr. Blaskiewicz has an open panel.

Dr. Jean-Jacoues Abitbol's specialties are spine surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. He practices in San Diego, CA. Before completing his residency at Montreal General Hospital, Dr. Abitbol attended medical school at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine. In his practice, Dr. Abitbol focuses on musculoskeletal surgery. He is rated 3.5 stars out of 5 by his patients. Dr. Abitbol is an in-network provider for United Healthcare Compass, United Healthcare Navigate, Anthem, and more. Dr. Abitbol (or staff) speaks Spanish and French. He is professionally affiliated with Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Mercy Hospital. He is accepting new patients.

Dr. Kamshad Raiszadeh practices spine surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery in San Diego, CA and Vista, CA. Dr. Raiszadeh's clinical interests include musculoskeletal surgery. He is an in-network provider for several insurance carriers, including Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield. He graduated from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Medicine. He trained at a hospital affiliated with the University of California, Davis for residency. He is conversant in Persian. Dr. Raiszadeh's professional affiliations include Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and Scripps Green Hospital. He is open to new patients.

Dr. Richard Allen is a spine surgeon and orthopedic surgeon in San Diego, CA. He is affiliated with VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS). Dr. Allen graduated from Creighton University School of Medicine. He is rated 5.0 stars out of 5 by his patients. He is an in-network provider for Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield, in addition to other insurance carriers.

Dr. Vinko Zlomislic's areas of specialization are spine surgery and orthopedics/orthopedic surgery. He is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield are among the insurance carriers that Dr. Zlomislic honors.

Dr. Oliver Tannous' areas of specialization are orthopedic trauma and spine surgery. He takes Anthem, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Blue Shield, as well as other insurance carriers. Dr. Tannous graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

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What is Spine Surgery?

Spinal surgery is the subspecialty that uses surgery to restore the normal function of the spine when things go wrong due to trauma, disease, or other disorders. There are many ways that the spine can begin to hurt or lose the ability to move properly, and surgery is not always necessary. However, when surgery is needed, there’s no one more qualified for the job than a spine surgeon.

Spinal surgery can be considered a subspecialty of either orthopedics or neurosurgery. That means that a spine surgeon may take either path to this specific career, training first as either an orthopedist or a neurosurgeon. Orthopedics deals mainly with the structural issues of the back and spine: the bones, muscles, and joints. Neurosurgery deals mainly with issues of the brain, nerves, and spinal cord. So when choosing a spine surgeon, it is sometimes possible that your surgeon’s background will have a bearing on your particular diagnosis. However, in most cases, it doesn’t matter. Either an orthopedist-spine surgeon or a neurosurgeon-spine surgeon can handle the majority of spine surgeries. What is more important is that some spine surgeons specialize in specific areas of the spine, such as lumbar surgery or cervical surgery. In that case, it is important to connect with a surgeon who is experienced with your particular need.

Some of the surgeries performed on the spine include:

Correction of spinal deformities, such as scoliosis

Spinal fusion

Minimally invasive spine surgery, including decompression surgeries such as discectomy and laminectomy

The spine is a very complicated piece of your body’s machinery, and a very necessary part of your movement and function. It holds you up and allows you to move. Having a working spine is important, and having a skilled surgeon when you need spinal surgery is critical.